The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and providing additional examinations to address the nature and etiology of his cervical and lumbar spine disorders, hearing loss, and major depressive disorder. The RO will also clarify the disability rating assigned to his service-connected malaria.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims folder was misplaced before he filed his claim for benefits in February 2005, leading to inconsistencies regarding the disability rating of his service-connected malaria. Additionally, there are questions about the relationship between the Veteran's major depressive disorder and his military service, as well as potential issues with the etiology of his cervical and lumbar spine disorders and hearing loss.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative joint and disc disease of the cervical spine, degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine, bilateral hearing loss, major depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 15, 2010
- Citation
- 1022132
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1022132.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for specially-adapted housing assistance and a special home adaptation grant was denied because he does not meet the criteria for either benefit based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
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